Breech-loading ordnance



Patented Nov. 29, I898.

.3 Shuts-Sheet I.

H. S. BALDWIN.

BBEECH LOADING ORDNANGE.

(Application filed Aug. 14, 1897).

(No Model.)

Hi l i I No. 6l4,82l. Patented Nov. 29, I898; H. S. BALDWIN.

BREECH LOADING ORDNANCE.

(Appliat ion filed Aug. 14, 1897).

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-8heet 3.

Fl 1a.

qj umtlll iii? WNW-eases NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY S. BALDWIN, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

BREECH LOADlNG ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,821, dated November 29, 1898.

I Application filed August 14, 1897- Serial No. 648,256. N model.)

To all lU/[Ullt it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY S. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Ordnance, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,wherein Figure 1 is a top view of the rear portion of the barrel of the gun and of the breech. Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical lengthwise section on the plane denoted by the broken line .70 a: of Fig. 1 of the entire breech-loading mechanism. Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the rear part of the gun and breech, with a part of the breech represented as broken away, so as to show interior construction. Fig. l is a top view of the movable breechblock. Fig. 5 is a front view of the movable breech-block. Fig. 6 is a right side view of the movable breech-block. Fig. 7 is a view in vertical cross-section of the part shown in Fig. 1 on the plane denoted by the broken line y y. Fig. 8 is a top or plan view of the extractor. Fig. 9 is a side view of the extractor. Fig. 10 is a rear view of a portion of the main operating-lever, the breech-block lever, and the connection between the two. Fig. 11 is a side View of the forked retainer for the breech-block arm hereinafter described.

The object of the improvement is to simplify, strengthen, and cheapen the construction of breech-loading ordnance and to make the operation thereof more efficient and durable.

In the accompanying drawings the letter a denotes the barrel of the gun, and b the breech thereof in a general sense. 6 denotes the cartridge-channel in the breech, a channel for facilitating the entry of the cartridge 0 into the bore of the barrel. The breech is mortised through from top to bottom, the trend of the mortise being slightly inclined forwardly at the top to the bore of the barrel.

The letter (Z denotes the movable breechblock, which has an up-and down motion in the mortise through the breech just referred to to effect the closing and opening of the breech, the setting the cartridge home to its seat in the bore of the barrel, and the withdrawal or extraction of the cartridge-case at the proper time. This up-and-down movement of the breech-block is not exactly at right angles to the trend of the bore of the gun, but is slightly inclined thereto, such inclination of movement being effected by the inclination of the mortise through the breech already referred to.

It is a primary purpose in the construction of this mechanism to make the walls of the mortise through the breech the guides for the up-and-down motion of the breech-block, dispensing with feathers and splines, and thus attaining strength and solidity of construction, simplicity of construction, cheapness of construction, and, to an improved degree, excluding the entrance of dust, water, rust, and the like between and into the operating parts.

The letter 6 denotes what may be termed the front ways for the breech-block and 6 denotes what may be termed the rear ways therefor. Between the front ways 6 there is a surface 6, which from top to bot tom is at right angles to the bore of the gun. The breech-block 61 carries on its top the cartridge-channel d, which at the front is given a downwardly-dipping bevel for cooperation with the rear-end of the cartridge in forcing that cartridge to its seat in the chamber of the gun. The front of the breech-block carries the cam or wedge d, the surface of which is adapted to the surface e, and it serves to give the cartridge its final forcing home to its seat in the chamber of the gun.

The letter f denotes the firing-pin, whose firing action is given by the spring g. This firing-pin and spring are borne in and carried by the firing-pin case h. On the exterior of this case there are two radial spurs h,which serve to lock the firing-pin case into its seat longitudinally, fitting meanwhile in an annular groove made in the wall of the socket which contains the firing-pin case,being read ily admissible to that groove when the firingpin case is in a certain position rotarily and being locked in the groove by the subsequent partial rotation of the firing-pin case. The rotation of the firing-pin case from this adjustment and position just described is prevented by the inner cocking-lever 76,,Wl1l0l1 plays back and forth in a longitudinal slot in the firing-pin case, its end entering a suitable mortise or socket in the body of the firing-pin.

The inner cocking-lever k and the outer cocking-lever 7a are both fast (rotarily) upon the same shaft is. The outer cocking-lever It" is actually fast on shaft The inner cocking-lever k is fast to sleeve k, which is squared interiorly and fits upon a correspondingly-squared part of shaft is". The scar Z, actuated by the sear spring Z, holds the cocking-levers and the pin in the cooked position when they are moved thereto, and their release for giving the firing-pin its firing or striking action is effected bya pull upon the trigger m. The scar l carries a fin l, which fits into an annular groove in the surface of shaft is" and holds it in place longitudinally.

The letter n denotes the extractor, which can be freely inserted from the rear into the extractor-way it when the breech-block is absent from the breech-block mortise in the breech. This extractor bears upon its side a stud n", entering and cooperating with the extractor-groove n in the left side of the breech-block, the shape of which is such that the forward and back motion of the extractor is given while the breech-block is making the lower part of its up-and-down motion.

The letter 0 denotes the main operating-lever. It moves about one hundred and eighty degrees,rotarily,to effect the opening and closing of the gun. It is made to be practically fast on the same shaft 0 as the breech-block arm p,which is turned over into a short crankpin 19 at the end entering the groove 19' in the right side of the breech-block.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the breech-block and the other parts are shown in the closed position. Then the main operating-lever o is rotated a half-turn rearwardly from its position, as shown in Fig. 3, the cooperation of the breechblock arm 13 and the groove 10 causes the breech-block to move downward and open the gun. At the same time and in this motion the breech-block arm comes in contact with and operates the outer cockinglever k, and with it the inner cocking-leverk, so that this downward motion of the breechblock-the opening of the guncocks the firing-pin.

In order to give the breech-block the solidity and completeness of bearing which it has, especially upon the front ways 6, peculiar provision has to be made for assembling the parts. The movable breech-block being absent from the breech, the shaft 0 is inserted into its hearing from the inner side, with the breechblock arm 1) hanging straight downward, the forked retainer 1' not being yet in place. This allows the arm 1) to occupy its place, so that the crank-pin p, on the end of the arm 13, is the only thing standing in the path of the breech-block to prevent its insertion from below into the mortise made for it in the breech. In order to do away with what would otherwise be an obstruction to this movement,

there is made in the right side of the breechblock the groove 7", the presence of which permits the breech-block to be inserted to its place in the breech. That insertion being effected, the shaft 0' and arm 19 are moved inwardly a little till the pin on the end of that arm enters the groove 19. Then the forked retainer r is pushed into its place from below, the forks thereof, by their elasticity, springing over the shaft 0 and serving to retain all the parts just mentioned in their proper operative places, and at the same time the forked retainer renders this wall of the mortise in the breech-block practically flush and continuous.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In breech-loading ordnance, a mortise in the breech slightly inclined from a position perpendicular to the bore of the gun, having at the front thereof inclined ways 6, and between said ways a recess 6 having a plane surface at right angles to the bore of the gun, in combination with a breech-block adapted to move up and down in said mortise, and provided on its front face at the outer margin thereof with inclined faces taking bearing on said inclined ways e, said breech-block having also on its front face betwene said marginal faces a wedge-shaped projection d, faced at right angles to the bore of the gun, whereby it is adapted to approach and recede normally to and from said plane surface 6 as the breech-block is moved up and down, in combination with the main operating-lever and the forked retainer for securing said opcrating-lever in place substantially as specified.

2. In breech-loading ordnance, a mortise in the breech slightly inclined from a position perpendicular to the bore of the gun, a breechblock movable therein, having in its side the slots 1* 19, substantially at right angles to each other, in combination with a breechblock lever 0, shaft o,forked retainer? breechblock arm 19, having lug 19, said lug adapted to engage with and reciprocate in the slot 19, as the lever 0 is oscillated, whereby said breech-block is moved up and down, substantially as specified.

3. In breech-loading ordnance, a mortisein the breech, a breech-block movable up and down therein, having in its face slots 1" and p, breech-block lever 0, shaft 0, forked retainer 0*, arm 1), and lug 19, said lug adapted to engage with said slot 19, whereby said breech-block is operated, in combination with outer cocking-lever k, inner cocking-lever 7a, and firing-pin f, substantially as specified.

4. In breech-loading ordnance, the mortise in the breech, the breech-block movable up and down in said mortise, having slots '1" p, a firing-pin borne in said breech-block, a cocking-lever 7c mounted on shaft 7; and engaging with said firing-pin, and an outer cocking-lever 71) also mounted on shaft 70, in combination with breech-block lever 0, shaft 0, forked retainer r arm 19, and lug 19, whereby the breech-block is operated and at the same time the firing-pin is operated through said cocking-levers 7;, k, substantially as specified.

5. In breech-loading ordnance, a mortise in the breech, said mortise slightly inclined from a position perpendicular to the bore of the gun, inclined ways 6 at the front of said mortise, a recess 6 between said ways, having a plane face perpendicular to the bore of the gun, a breech-block having inclined faces on its outer front margins adapted to move on said inclined ways 6, a wedge-shaped projection d on said breech-block between said inclined faces, having a plane face at right angles to the bore of the gun, slots 1" p in the breech-block on the side thereof, operatinglever 0, shaft 0, and arm 1), having lug 1), said lug engaging with slot p to operate the breech-block, in combination with firing-pin j, inner cocking-lever 7c, outer cocking-lever it, grooved shaft k, and sear Z, having fin Z engaging said groove, substantially as specified.

6. In breech-loading ordnance, a mortise in the breech, said mortise slightly inclined from a position perpendicular to the bore of the gun, inclined ways e at the front of said mortise, a recess 2 between said ways having a plane face perpendicular to the bore of the gun, a breech-block d having the cartridge-channel d downwardly inclined at the front, said breech-block having inclined faces on its outer front margins adapted to move on said inclined ways 6, a Wedge-shaped projection (7 on said breech-block between said inclined faces having a plane face at right angles to the bore of the gun, slots r p in the breech-block on the side thereof, operating-lever o, shaft 0, and arm 10 having lug 1), said lug engaging with slot p to operate the breech-block, in combination with firing-pin f, firing-pin case It, having radial lockingspurs h, inner cocking-lever 7c, outer cocking-lever 7c, grooved shaft 70', and sear Z, having fin Z engaging said groove, substantially as specified.

7. In breech loading ordnance, the two cocking-levers rotarily fast upon the same shaft and a groovein the surface of said shaft, in combination with the sear carrying a fin fitting into said groove in the surface of said shaft, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

8. In breech-loading ordnance, the sliding breech block, having the transverse slot therein, the main operating-lever having a lug engaging with said slot, means whereby said lug can be longitudinally withdrawn to permit the entrance of said block into position, and means for locking said lug into operative relation with said slot, substantially as specified.

9. In breech-loading ordnance, in combination, the sliding breech-block, having slots 1", p, operating-lever 0, shaft ,0, arm 19 and lug p, and forked retainer 1, substantially as specified.

HENRY S. BALDWIN. \Vitnesses:

Amen EMMONS, C. E. BUOKLAND. 

